A Bender's Passion
by X-titan
Summary: A young earthbender is called by the spirits to leave her home in search for Aang. In visions she's been told to seek him out at the Western Air Temple. Leaving everything she knows behind, she follows her heart to help save the world. Mild Spoiler
1. Chapter One: Farm Girl

This whole thing takes place after the invasion. I haven't seen the episode The Western Air Temple, so It's possibly my own universe between the invasion and the end of the series. If you haven't seen The Day of Black Sun parts 1 and 2, know that there are very mild spoilers in here. They mention small parts of the invasion, but crucial details to it's outcome. So… just to warn you. There it is. Though I would advise reading it anyway, because the parts are small are have little to do with the actual story I'm trying to tell. So yeah… and bare with me with the intro. That stupid thing's been stuck in my head even before I started to write this thing. So yeah… enjoy.

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Intro

Water. Earth. Fire. Air. Long ago the four nations lived in harmony, but everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked. Only the Avatar, master of all four elements could stop them. But when the world needed him most, he vanished. A hundred years have past, and I've heard rumors of the return of the new Avatar, an Airbender named Aang. For as long as I can remember, it's been my dream to leave this village to seek him out. I believe it's my destiny to join him and help Aang save the world.

Chapter One: Farm Girl

A man at the base of a stairwell looked up towards the second story and called out, "Kia!" A girl rolled over in her bed, pulling the covers over the face. "Kia Shang! Get down here!" She moaned reluctantly pulling off the covers. "I'm comin' I'm comin'…" She grumbled as she pulled on her green tunic. "I'll be right down!" She called, plopping down in a chair. Bending over she slipped on green soulless shoes. She wrapped a tan cloth around her waist to keep her tunic from opening, and tied it up at her hip, letting what fabric what wasn't being used fall to her side.

Kia sighed looking out the window and mumbled, "Just another day in Moriko Village…" She started heading towards the door, when a silver colored emblem caught her eye. With a soft smile, she grabbed the pendent off her side table admiring its beauty. It was a unique carving her father had found on one of his journeys. She fingered the three swirls and the circle incasing them. It was the symbol of the Air Nomads. It had long since been her dream to meet the last of its great nation; the last Airbender.

Shoving the pendent in her pocket, she hurried downstairs. Her mother looked up from her sewing. "Kia, what were you doing up there?"

"Sleeping…?" The young girl gave a sheepish grin, rubbing the back of her neck.

Hana rolled her eyes and laughed lightly. "Go on, your father needs help outside. The sheep-pigs are giving him trouble this morning."

Her daughter gave a respectful bow, and then obediently went off to help her father.

Once her feet hit the ground outside, and she was sure no one was watching, she got in a horse stance. Closing her eyes, she lifted her leg and brought her foot down hard causing the earth beneath her feet to rise up off the ground. She turned, and after taking a deep breath gave a strong punch causing the block of earth to move. She grinned as the bundle of rock and dirt brought her out to the fields where her father unsuccessfully tried to round up the sheep-pigs.

Kia hopped off and swung her arm downward, the rock going back into the earth as if it had never left it. She quickly dusted herself off and ran the rest of the way.

"Papa!" She called running towards the man on the ostrich-horse. Takai smiled at his only daughter while she ran to him. Only a moment later, she was within a few feet of him. "Papa, what've you done to the sheep-pigs now?" She said with a laugh.

The man shrugged looking at the confused flock. "I call to them, but they won't come. We need to sheer them before the weather heats up more then it has already."

"It's no wonder they don't come to you. You haven't been home for a while; they don't know your voice Papa. You haven't spent much time with them lately, so they think you're just some stranger." She got down on her knees and called to them. "Akio, Hama, Tomo, come here!" She continued to call them all by name, and not long after, almost the whole flock had surrounded her bleating and licking her hands.

She laughed petting their soft wool. "There you are Papa. You can start sheering them now. They're more then ready to get rid of their coat." She giggled as another went and licked her face. "Once they get used to your voice again, they'll come to you too." Takai gave a gentle smile. "You certainly have a way with animals Kia." "I get it from you Papa." She grinned standing up.

Kia went over to him and began stroking the long neck of his ostrich-horse. "Hey Sitka, how are you? Papa's not working you too hard, is he?" Takai shook his head. "Honestly dear, it's almost like you can talk to them." Her eyes widened slightly when he said this. _"He's just joking,"_ she reminded herself. Regaining full composer, she responded, "I've just been living on a farm too long." She looked at the ostrich-horse, as she would look at a person talking to her. After petting his beak, she looked back at her father.

"I'm… I'm gonna go feed the possum-chickens and turtle-ducks." She turned to leave when her father stopped her. "Hold on," he dismounted, "Take Sitka with you. It'll be much better riding him then running all the way back to the barn."

She cringed wanting so badly to earthbend her way back. She quietly sighed to herself then turned to him, smiling. "Of course Papa. I still don't know what I was thinking running out here." Kia mounted herself on the ostrich-horse and started him off in a slow gallop towards the barn.

The animal looked up at her. **"You need to tell them sooner or later. About both of your gifts."** Kia sighed, "I know Sitka, but it's too soon…" About half way back she had him stop running. "What do you say I earthbend us back to the stables?" **"I'd rather run, if it's all the same to you."** "Suit yourself…" She mumbled, lightly kicking him. He started off in a slow trot.

Kia sensed an air of mischief about Sitka. "What're you doing?" She asked with a suspicious edge in her voice. **"Oh… nothing…" **Then without warning, Sitka took off running faster then a mongoose-dragon. Kia laughed, holding even tighter onto the reins. "Sitka, slow down!" She said between laughs. **"Not until you promise to tell your parents the truth."** "Alright, alright, I promise." The ostrich-horse slowed his stride into a steady trot.**"I'll hold you to that."**

Kia sighed as they finally reached to barn. "I know you will…" She wrapped her arms around his long neck. "Love you Sitka." He bent his neck to the side nuzzling her arm. **"I know Kia."** After a moment, she pat him on the back of his neck then dismounted. She grabbed his reins and led him to a horizontal wooden pole and tied him down.

She stepped into the barn and grabbed a stale loaf of bread from a box and brought it outside. Crumbling pieces up in her palm she called to the possum-chickens. "Come on guys, breakfast." She opened her hand letting the stale food fall to the ground. They soon flocked around her peaking at the breadcrumbs at her feet calling out greetings to their mistress. Even a few turkey-ducks came for some bread. "Hey, come on, you have your own trough of corn. Go on, shoo." The turkey-ducks muttered complaints before vainly trying to fly to their food station.

After she finished feeding the possum-chickens, she went and grabbed another loaf of bread and went over to a small pond where they kept the turtle-ducks. Breaking off slightly bigger pieces of bread she tossed them into the water, and watched the ducklings eat away at the pieces she'd thrown.

One turtle-duck in particular swam to shore and waddled over to Kia. **"Hello Mistress, how are you this morning?"**

"I'm well Kaze. And you?"

**"I'm fine."** The earthbender reached down and scratched her head.

**"Did you have another dream last night?"**

"I did. And this time, I was flying."

**"You were an airbender in your dream?"**

"No silly, I was flying on Aang's famous sky bison."

**"What was it like?" **The duckling settled herself into Kia's arms.

"Well, the wind was blowing hard in my face as we defied all gravity," she had a dreamy look in her eyes as she described it, "Looking down all I could see was the clouds and a few toucan-puffins flying north."

**"What did the Avatar look like?"**

"Tall… handsome… and a great smile. Then one of the farmhands had to go and wake me up…" She muttered with a hint of bitterness in her voice.

"**I'm sure you'll meet him one day Mistress Kia."**

"Right… and maybe I'll grow a second head." She laughed lightly petting the small turtle-duck. "You better get back in the pond before all the foods gone." She jumped out of her arms.**  
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**"See you tonight at dinner Mistress?"**

"Like always Kaze."

Kia stood and admired the little creatures as they ate. She sighed looking down at her tattooed hand. She traced her fingers across the Earth Kingdoms round symbol. It was a symbol of the immeasurable layers of deep rock earthbenders manipulate to maintain their great cities. It also represented the Kingdom's goal of striving for a peaceful and productive way of life.

After a moment of reflection, the fifteen-year-old started to head towards the main house, more then ready for her own breakfast. She hummed to herself as she walked through the door. "Hey Mama." The earthbender went and kissed her mother on the cheek. Kia was greeted by a cheerful smile and two dark green eyes staring down at her. "How are you this morning dear?"

The girl shrugged. "Alright I guess. Papa was sheering the sheep-pigs, but that was a little over an hour ago. He should be coming in right about now."

Kia grabbed a pewter plate and started filling it with her breakfast. She grabbed a few pieces of turkey-duck meat, a few eggs, and a slice of bread with preserves spread over it.

(A/N: I'm gonna say that the meat is the equivalent of bacon. Thus shall it be written. bangs gavel)

She sat down, and before long she had already eaten well over half of her meal. Hana looked over at her. "Slow down Kia. No one's going to take it from you." She looked down at her plate then back at her mother. In a half playful half serious tone, she replied, "You never know, Mama, you never know."

Hana shook her head returning her attention to her sewing. Just then a knock came from the door. Kia looked up before making her way over to the door. A man was there. "Excuse me, I'm looking for a Takai Shang. Is he home?" "Yes, but he's out in the fields. He should be coming in shortly if you care to wait."

The messenger shook his head. "That won't be necessary. Just be sure he gets this." The man handed her a scroll that had a blue wax stamp with a Water Tribe emblem on it.

She gave a respectful bow and he did the same. "Good day ma'am." He took off running in the other direction.

Kia closed the door a looked at the scroll. "Odd…" She muttered to herself. "Who was it dear?" Her mother called from the dinning room. "A messenger. The message seems to be from the Water Tribe." She walked back to her mother and handed her the scroll. "The man said it was for Papa." Hana looked over it. "It's an update on what's going on with the war. It's probably nothing important." Kia nodded and sat down to continue eating her breakfast.

A few minutes later Takai walked in. "Hello everyone, how are we all doing today?" He went and kissed her daughter's cheek. "You got a message for the front lines, Papa." "Hmm, interesting. Let's see what we have here." Hana handed him the scroll and he read it quietly to himself. "Oh my…"

"What is it Takai?" Hana asked her husband.

"The Avatar had planned an invasion on the fire nation last week. It failed… he and what few men he has left, went with him to the Western Air Temple."

Kia looked over at him with wide eyes. _"That's only a few days away,"_ She thought to herself. "Excuse me." She dropped her fork and ran out of the house towards the barn where she'd left Sitka. "You'll never guess what happened Sitka!"

"**You told your parents you're a bender and animal telepath?"**

"No… the Avatar is only a few days journey from here! He's at the Western Air Temple!"

"**So?"**

"So?! That means I can finally fulfill my destiny! I'm gonna go help save the world!"

"**Mistress, be reasonable. I'll admit you're a skilled bender, and with a little training, you could do something worthwhile as far as the war effort, but you don't even know if the Avatar will accept you as an ally. You're a farm girl. This is all you know."**

She glared at the ostrich-horse, almost a disappointed look in her bright green eyes. "You don't believe in me… you think I'm only good enough to take care of smelly animals the rest of my life! What about my dreams Sitka!? I get such strong feelings from them, they have to be coming from the spirits!"

He looked at her for a moment, then grunted. **"It's only a childhood fantasy, and nothing more."**

Kia took several deep breaths looking into his dark yellow eyes. "Then I'm leaving without you. I'll find another animal to get me to the temple. But mark my words, I will help save the world regardless of anything you say and when I come back, you'll beg for me to forgive your arrogance, mark my words."

The ostrich-horse was notably angered by her threat. **"You'll never make it outside this village, do you hear me Kia?! You'll come crawling back here in one day, and I'll swear by that!"**

"Not on your life." She hissed walking away from him. She stomped up to her room and flung herself on her bed and started to cry. Sitka was wrong! He… he had to be wrong. Kia was supposed to assist the Avatar. Her dreams… they were more like visions then anything. They had to be real. She sat up and dried her eyes.

"Maybe he's right…" She mumbled to herself taking out the Air pendent. "Maybe it is just a stupid childish dream…" She leaned back against the wall staring on the curving lines of the sleek silver stone. Her callused fingers lightly followed its swirls, first the three in the center, then the circle around them. Kia let out a quiet sigh, then promised herself, "If I get another dream the next time I go to sleep, then I'll go to the temple…"

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So.. do you like it, do you hate it? Give it to me straight Doc! Ha... me and my horrible sense of humor... Heh... Anyway... please reply. puppydogeyes 


	2. Chapter Two: A Journey

Apparently some of you actually like my stuff... go figure. Anyway, here is the next chapter. I know it's kinda slow, it's really just a transition chapter really... to fill time... and... stuff... Oh, and if you find any minor grammar or spelling mistakes, feel free to point it out. I feel like a total idiot if I keep something up for a long time and in the whole time I don't realize that I put 'could' instead of 'couldn't' or something stupid like that... yeah... Have fun reading.

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Chapter Two: A Journey

"Aang!" Kia's heart was racing when she saw him hit the floor, Ozai steadily approaching the Avatar. Her hands tightened into fists to the point where her knuckles turned white. She stomped her foot, a chunk of stone flying out of the ground. She punched it with all her might sending it towards the Fire Lord, stealing his attention from the airbender.

"Why don't you pick on someone your own size?!" She shouted bringing up two more stones to throw at him.

Angered, Ozai shot a ball of fire at her. She screamed feeling the flames burn her skin and the smell of boiling flesh became apparent to everyone in the room.

"AHHH!!" Kia sat up in bed panting heavily. "It… it was just a dream…" She looked down at her clenched fist, slowly opening it to see the Air Nomad stone. Taking several slow deep breaths, she knew that that was more then just a simple figment of her imagination. It was a vision. It had to be.

Kia glanced out the window and saw it was dark out. _"This is it,"_ she thought,_ "It's now or never!"_ She quickly hopped out of bed and grabbed a bag that was just big enough for a few days journey. In it she placed only a blanket, a set of clothes, and what little money she had. "Eighteen gold pieces and forty-five copper pieces… it'll have to do…"

She hurried down stairs to the kitchen where she took a few days ration of meat and bread and a skin of water. "I'm missing something…" She murmured to herself. She snapped her fingers in recollection before heading toward the den. She gazed up at the two swords that hung proudly on the wall. She reached up and grabbed them, strapping them to her back.

After one last look at her home, she realized something. Her parents. They didn't know anything about any of this. But she couldn't wake them up to tell them. So instead, she grabbed some paper, an inkpad, and a brush. She carefully wrote out how she was a telepath and an earthbender like she promised Sitka. Then she went on telling them about the dreams she had been receiving from the spirits and that she was meant for great things. But passionately reminded them that she loved them and wasn't trying to hurt them. This was simply something she had to do.

Taking a deep breath, she put the brush down. Carefully tiptoeing up the stairs again, she placed the note by her parents' bedside. Kia stared at them for a moment, sadness and grief washing over her. It hurt so bad having to leave the ones she loved, but she knew she had to. With one last fond look, she left the house and went outside.

She walked past the barn, but heard someone calling her.

"**Mistress! What're you doing!?" **She turned to see Sitka glaring at her.

"I'm going off to make you eat your words." She said in a heartless manner.

"**You're going to get yourself killed!" **He started bucking in his stall.

"Then I'll die knowing I'm doing the right thing." She turned, eyes shut trying her hardest not to cry.

"**Kia… don't do this… don't be so foolish…"** Her childhood friend pleaded. **"These delusions of grandeur are only going to get you hurt."**

She looked back at him, a single tear streaming her face. "I told them about my bending… and about all the animals I meet… I'm leaving this place Sitka. The visions are getting stronger, and I have a feeling if I don't leave tonight, something terrible will happen. I'm going. And I can either ride you to the temple, or I'll run there myself. It's up to you."

The ostrich-horse whinnied. **"I'm sorry it's come to this then. You're on your own Kia. I can't approve of this."**

"Then… I'll see you when I come back." She quickly turned and ran so he couldn't see more tears running down her face.

**Later**

She had been running for a few miles now, and was only a short distance away from a little town near the docks. She'd have to barter passage to get to the temple. Then it hit her. "The temple's on top of a mountain…" She moaned sinking back against a big oak tree. Then she heard a voice.

"**What're you doing at my home!? Leave!" **Kia looked up to see a twelve-foot long and six-foot high raven-eagle glaring daggers at her.

"Hey! Can you help me? I'm trying to get to the Western Air Temple!" She jumped to her feet, a glimmer of hope emitted from her voice. The bird of prey was taken back by this strange girl.

"**You speak? I didn't know humans could speak."**

"I'm a special human. I can talk to every animal you can imagine." She grinned up at the bird. "What's your name?"

"**Y-Yasuo…"** The bird fluttered down to the ground looking at Kia. **"You said you needed help. If I help you… what can you give me in return, Obasan?"**

(A/N: Those of you who are unfamiliar with Japanese terms, 'Obasan' is what you would call an older woman out of respect, and is considered rude to call a young woman. Basically it's like calling a nineteen-year-old 'old lady' and meaning it)

Kia frowned at his incorrect use of the term. "Call me Kia-chan…"

(A/N: 'Chan' is a tern used for young girls, as opposed to 'kun', which is the masculine to 'chan'. It's typically used to symbolize friendships. I'll stop inserting these, I promise. :P)

"**Fine. Kia-chan. If I help you… what do I get in return?"**

"Um… would you settle for turkey-duck meat?"

The raven-eagle turned his head to one side. **"And what would I be required to do in order to obtain this… meat?"**

"Can you fly me to the top of a mountain?" The bird circled her and after a moment of thought he said, **"I suppose I could… you don't seem too heavy."**

"Uh… great…" She wasn't sure if she was supposed to be excited of insulted by his acceptance. "I'll give you half now and half when we get to the temple. Is it a deal?"

Yasuo bobbed his head and flapped his long wings. **"Can I you give it to me this instant?" **She laughed lightly amused by his antics. "Of course." She reached into her pack and grabbed a strip of meat and tossed it at the raven-eagle. He snatched it up in mid air with his beak and easily swallowed it down.

"**Come along now, it's half a days journey when I fly myself. I'm not sure how long it'll take with a human on my back as well."**

Kia nodded climbing onto his back. She situated herself, and what she packed, into the most comfortable position for both her and her mount. "I'm ready when you are." She said holding onto him. Yasuo cawed before flapping his wings. Kia had closed her eyes praying to whatever spirit that was listening that they might make it to the temple before it was too late, or more to the effect of her immediate worries, that they would make it off the ground.

"**Kia-chan, open your eyes! Look at the world below you!"** The mighty bird shouted over the power of the wind blowing in his face. She slowly opened her eyes seeing the whole Northwestern Earth Kingdom below her. "Oh my gosh! I've never seen anything like this!" She laughed, her grip still tight on Yasuo's neck.

"**Hold tight my friend, we wouldn't want you falling off."** She nodded, a wide spread grin on her face. She couldn't believe that this was really happening. She was actually flying on the back of a raven-eagle headed toward the Western Air Temple to meet the Avatar!

With her right arm still clinging to Yasuo, she reached her left hand into her pocket and pulled out her Air Nomad stone, which was firmly grasped between her thumb and index finger. "I'm coming for you Aang." She whispered before clutching the stone tightly in her fist.

**The Next Morning**

Kia found herself on the steps on a massive building, with her bird companion sleeping beside her. "Yasuo-kun?" She muttered rubbing her eyes. "Where are we?"

The bird buried his head under his wing. **"The temple, like you wanted Kia-chan. Took me all night to get us here, but I did it…"**

Kia's eyes widened in realization and she stood to her feet. "I made it? I made it! Ha! I'm at the temple!" She shrieked with delight as she took in her surroundings. She looked up at the hand carved walls of the female Air Nomad monks of old. The pictures of bison and lemurs that once populated the four temples over a hundred years ago. She made it… she was finally here…

"Now to find the Avatar." She started to run off when she remembered. "Oh yeah! Yasuo, here's the rest of the meat I promised you." She pulled out a large strip of turkey-duck meat and tossed in next to her newfound friend. "Thank you from bringing me this far." The bird looked up and caught her as she bowed to him respectfully, and ran off into the temple.

Kia stared in awe at her surroundings taking in the sights as she went further within the confines of the temple. Her eyes followed the edges of the stones she walked on and caught sight of little hermit crabs crawling along the ground staring at yet another stranger that had intruded on their home. Smiling, she knelt down in front of a few. The tiny creatures pulled themselves inside their shells to hide from her. She laughed lightly picking one up into her hands. "Hey there little guy. Have you seen an airbender around here?"

The crab poked his head out, ever so slightly. **"Yes…"**

"Did you see him here today?" She asked eagerly.

He felt comfortable enough to where he came out of his shell entirely. **"Just this morning. He's kinda sad though."**

"I'm sorry to hear that…" Maybe this was why the spirits called her here, to encourage him. "Do you know what part of the temple he's in?"

"**He's in the central courtyard. He's easy to spot. He spends most of his time sitting on his big fuzzy thing."**

What? Big fuzzy… "Oh, you mean his sky bison."

"**Yeah! That one!"** Kia smiled stroking the hermit's shell.

"Thank you for pointing out where he is."

"**Sure thing!"** The crab crawled down her arm, down her leg and back onto the ground to join his kind. Satisfied with the information, Kia stood and started running toward the courtyard that was easily seen from the hall she was walking down.

Then all of a sudden she couldn't move her feet. "Hey!" She cried looking down at her legs incased in rock. With a forceful punch, she was able to earthbend her way out, then with a kick to the ground a rock flew out of the ground and she readied herself for a fight. "Who's there!?"

Kia heard an aggressive grunt and a pound in the earth. She turned to see a teenage boy and a little blind girl in fighting stances dressed in Earth Kingdom clothing. She frowned at the duo. "What…?" Then they charged at her.

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I promise it gets better. Please review. :3 


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